Published at 2:41 am. Updated at 7:00 a.m.
“It really touches me to see so many people. I was worried it would be too early, but we’re used to staying up late! » Rita Baga cheered as people lined up to speak to her.
A parade of around 75 drag artists at 10:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning at the Palais des Congrès? With a happy mix of families, friend groups and ardent admirers with flamboyant looks?
PHOTO ROSALIE BOYER, PROVIDED BY RENDEZ-VEZ DE LA DRAG
Around 75 drag performers took part in the opening parade, but a total of 100 will be there on Saturday and Sunday.
Even if it was impossible to be there in a bad mood, the fact remains that it was an unthinkable event 35 years ago when Michel Dorion took part in a competition for what we then called transvestites or, at best, personifiers. “Things are changing,” says the man who founded Quebec’s first agency specializing in drag artists.
This weekend, Michel Dorion and Rita Baga are proud to present the Rendez-vous de la Drag at the Palais des Congrès, the first-ever major event dedicated to drag culture in the French-speaking world.
We expected 1,500 people on Saturday and even more on Sunday.
“Thank you for your continued support of our community,” Rita Baga told the crowd after the opening fashion show, where local and international stars such as Miss Butterfly, Lolita Banana, Icesis Couture and Drag Couenne walked a long pink carpet.
PHOTO ROSALIE BOYERM PROVIDED BY RENDEZ-VENDOS DE LA DRAG
For Michel Dorion, it was an emotional moment to stroll down the catwalk with Rita Baga before the ribbon cutting. “The pressure of knowing whether people would be there was gone. »
Communicate kindly with the public
Rita Baga and Michel Dorion have dreamed for several years that Montreal would present one “ DragCon” like in Los Angeles and London. “After participating, I enjoy meeting the public,” explains Rita Baga. Drag artists work in places that only have room for a small number of spectators, often in the evenings. Here it is accessible to everyone and people can experience the full diversity of drag. There are drag kings, drag creatures, gender benders…”
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
There was a long line of people to meet Rita Baga.
Such an event would have been illegal in the state of Tennessee if the famous law banning drag shows outside of adult cabarets had not been blocked by a judge. For Rita Baga, this “disguised transphobic law” is of course worrying. However, when drag culture is so talked about and has critics, it’s a sign that it’s becoming more popular and accessible, especially thanks to the TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race and all those who have followed it.
Another example closer to home, in Quebec: On the day that people demonstrated on the south bank in front of the library where the drag queen Barbada was supposed to tell stories to the children, Mona from Grenoble won the third season of the reality TV show Big Brother Celebrities .
Rita Baga also remembers that Gisèle Lullaby is the first drag queen from Quebec to win the show Canada’s Drag Race last year.
“Drag has never sold so many show tickets. “I’m at 50,000,” says the woman who was entrusted with the program “La Drag en Moi”. Michel Dorion is the focus of the reality documentary L’Agence, presented on Moi et Cie, in which we take a look behind the scenes at his agency Midor. In other words, drag has become part of mainstream culture.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Michael Dorion
A real star system
If you look at the queue that formed in front of Ra’Jah O’Hara’s stand, a real star system also emerged. “I’m shaking,” said Mylène Guindon. “It’s impressive to see her in real life,” added her friend Joannie Daviau.
Last December, Ra’Jah O’Hara was crowned the grand winner of Canada’s Drag Race – Canada vs the World in Montreal, ahead of Rita Baga among the finalists. Since then, a strong bond has developed between the American and the Quebecer. “When Rita calls me for an event, I always say yes! »
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Several children were present. We particularly met Rose and her mother Marie-Claude. The 6-year-old girl was excited to get to know Barbada.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Steven Peng-Seng, Joannie Daviau and Mylène Guindon with Ra’Jah O’Hara
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Virginie and Melinda Demers didn’t want to miss the first date of the Drag de Montréal. “We like to promote local drag,” says Virginie. She and her sister planned to attend Rainbow’s makeup workshop and Gabry Elle’s body diversity conference.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Big Bertha is part of the French drag delegation.
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In addition to the big show presented on Saturday evening, a drag gala will take place on Sunday evening. Véronique Cloutier, Varda Étienne, Caroline Néron, Joe Bocan, Mathieu Dufour and Richardson Zéphir will be present at the awards ceremony. “I sent out the address book and everyone said yes. It’s awesome. They all do this voluntarily,” emphasizes Rita Baga.
During the day, the workshops and conferences planned during the Rendez-vous de la Drag continue. When we share hair and makeup secrets, we also promote tolerance and equality.
As Rita Baga so aptly says, the voices of drag artists are “plural.” “But our message remains the same,” emphasizes Ra’Jah O’Hara. A message of love and acceptance. »